From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
TRUSSVILLE — Community volunteers were recognized at the Trussville Area Chamber of Commerce’s 62nd annual banquet, which was held on Feb. 17. The event was also a fundraiser for the chamber and formally inducted new officers and board members. The event was attended by around 180 guests, TACC said.
Local volunteer Melissa Jones won in the individual category of the Ned and Goldie Paine Memorial Gatekeeper awards for service in to the community. The Hewitt-Trussville High School Student Ambassadors won in the group category. Nominations for the awards are made by the community and winners are selected by a committee of award winners from the previous three years.
“The individual recipient of this year’s ‘Ned and Goldie Paine Memorial Gatekeeper Award’ doesn’t seem to have the word ‘no’ in her vocabulary,” TACC stated. “She has volunteered for just about every event and every organization in Trussville.”
She is on the Trussville City Schools Foundation Board and has volunteered for the Boy Scouts “in many different capacities.” An advocate for the local schools she has served the High School Academy of Business and Finance Advisory Board, the first annual Parent Education Camp at HTHS, and the Athletic Boosters’ and Schools Foundations’ Paws for a Cause Gala, as well as the Shrimp Boil.
The ambassadors at Hewitt-Trussville were similarly involved in community activism.
“The Hewitt-Trussville High School Ambassadors are a wonderful group of student volunteers,” TACC said. “They are always willing to volunteer for community events. The ambassadors are true leaders of our community and exhibit a positive attitude when working at these events. Some of the events they have participated in or will participate in this school year are: TASTE, Maple Leaf Run, Turn Trussville Pink, Trussville Christmas Parade, the Chamber’s Annual Banquet, and Trussville City Fest, to name a few. The ambassadors also volunteer for school and other events.”
Josh Taylor of the Trussville Civic Center won the Customer Service Person of the Year Award.
Trussville Gas and Water was the presenting sponsor for the event. Riders Harley Davidson was the gold sponsor while Brumlow Legal Group was the silver sponsor, First Community Mortgage was the awards sponsor, and Jefferson Memorial Funeral Home & Gardens were the VIP reception sponsor. Entertainment was sponsored by Bryant Bank.
The new board members and officers of TACC were:
Jeremy Tuggle of Bryant Bank, President; Vic Modic of Amerex Corporation, President-elect; Johnny Amari of Amari Gray Law Firm, Past President; Shea Carroll Waldrop of Massey, Stotser, and Nichols PC, Treasurer; Kendell Jno-Finn of EW Motion Therapy; Ian Maddox of Hitchcock Maddox Financial Partners; Jay Mather of Enviro Management Company, Inc.; Debra McCarley of DeDe’s Book Rack; Lynn Middleton of Avadian Credit Union; Kevin Sargent of Brik Realty; and Mike Strength of Trussville Gas & Water.
A silent auction was held where around 100 items were sold off. A gas grill donated by Trussville Gas & Water was part of the auction.